Facts You Should Know About STOPfakes.gov

STOPfakes.gov was launched to serve as a one-stop shop for U.S. government tools and resources on intellectual property rights (IPR). The federal agencies behind STOPfakes.gov have developed a number of resources to educate and assist businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as consumers, government officials, and the general public.

It is difficult to overstate the value of intellectual property rights to innovation, investment and economic development. IPR protection and enforcement are critical to the success of U.S. businesses, including SMEs, and to the U.S. economy as a whole. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that IP intensive industries employ more than 19 million Americans, and the Small Business Administration has estimated that SMEs alone employ half of Americans and account for 65 percent of new jobs. (Karen Mills, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), speech at ‘‘Jobs on Main Street, Customers Around the World’’ event hosted by USTR 01/21/10.)

The theft of IP from SMEs in particular is a serious matter, as it stifles innovation, slows economic growth, and weakens the competitiveness of U.S. employers, threatening American jobs. Intellectual property theft has an adverse impact on innovation, commercialization of new products and overall economic success. SMEs are particularly vulnerable because they are at a distinct disadvantage in securing IPR in foreign markets and confronting its theft.

Given this background, it is no surprise that the U.S. government’s priorities include ensuring that intellectual property remains a viable driver of innovation, and that our IP-based industries can compete effectively in the international marketplace. U.S. Department of Commerce Bureaus, namely the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the International Trade Administration (ITA), work alongside the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator and other U.S. agencies involved in intellectual property rights enforcement to help businesses secure and enforce intellectual property rights at home and abroad. ITA’s Office of Intellectual Property Rights administers STOPfakes.gov on behalf of U.S. IPEC member agencies, and can be contacted at the address below: